Mobile Apps, Smartphones, and Social Media. Why Aren’t Device Manufacturers More Engaged?

Smartphones, tablets, and mobile apps are changing the physician-patient dynamic. They are empowering patients to take better control of managing their health, and physicians are taking advantage of the conveniences provided by these technologies. At the same time, social media is revolutionizing communication across nearly every professional and community level.

Developing technologies that enable a strong connection between medical device manufacturers, physicians, and the patient requires a change of mindset. Device companies need to engage more with their customer, the physician, to find out their needs in this rapidly changing environment , what they truly want to get out of medical apps, and where more integration needs to happen between medical apps and devices. Physicians are already very plugged in—various surveys pinpoint the smartphone adoption rate among physicians at about 75% to 80% and growing, according to Felasfa Wodajo, MD,  mHealth Editor of iMedicalApps.com. The tablet (mostly iPad) adoption rate could be as high as 45%. In addition, the market for medical apps has exploded since 2008. “There are apps in just about every niche and subspecialty addressing needs of physicians and, to a lesser extent, patients and consumers, says Wodajo, who is also a bone and soft tissue tumor surgeon. “But we’re still not there in terms of achieving the kind of mobile enablement that we hope to find one day.”

Wodajo suggests a few reasons why there is room for improvement for mobile medical apps:

Mobile apps have dramatically changed how many patients obtain information about conditions such as diabetes and pregnancy, along with keeping up with general wellness. Likewise, apps are helping physicians further educate patients about their conditions. Wodajo cites the Orca Health series of apps for physicians.  

Although such apps aren’t a platform on which physicians and patients can communicate, the market will need to reach that point for two obvious reasons, says Wodajo. The first is time and the extent to which flexible platforms should be used to share information. Surgeons can spend a lot of time counseling

patients, from diagnosis and discussion of treatment to the logistics of surgery. Having an app that streamlines this process would save surgeons time, and would empower patients about their condition, while also providing peace of mind.

The second reason is market demand. If patients keep asking for apps that enable communication with physicians, the market will need to follow.

“One of the real things to look forward to is the platforms that allow the physicians and patients real time together to benefit from the technology,” says Bunny Ellerin, president of NYC Health Business Leaders. Ellerin cites the drawMD app, which allows doctors to draw on an app and show the patient exactly what he or she will be going through in surgery—in a way that is palatable to the patient. “The connection enabled by technology actually could lead to a much better outcome on a lot of different levels. That’s hopefully where some of the future is.”

NYC Health Business Leaders is collaborating with the Mayo Clinic and Continuum Hospitals of New York on the Connecting Healthcare and Social Media conference next week, May 17-18. The event will focus on the role that social media plays in hospitals, including to build a community, media efforts, and the connection between physicians and patients. Wodajo will be speaking at the event during “The Rapidly Evolving World of Mobile Health, Apps & Devices for Physicians” session.

 Maria Fontanazza is managing editor of MD+DI. Follow her on Twitter @MariaFontanazza.